About Buddhist Prayer Wheels:

A Buddhist Prayer Wheel is a hollow cylinder made of wood, metal, leather or coarse cotton. The mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum” is traditionally embossed on the wheel. Themantra is particularly associated with “Shadakshari” form of legendary “Avalokiteshvara”. As Dalai Lama is believed to do the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara so the mantra isspecially respected by his devotees. Primarily used by Buddhists of Tibet and Nepal as hand held prayer wheels, it is believed that spinning a prayer wheel is as effective asreciting sacred text aloud.

The idea of spinning mantras originated from various Tantric practices where the mantras are visualized revolving around the “nadis” and meridian charkas such as brain andheart. The wheel is spinned clockwise with compassion and devotion. The practitioner should keep calm, meditative mind and repeat the mantra as many times as possiblewhile spinning the prayer wheel to develop wisdom, “bodhichitta” (full enlightenment for benefit of all beings) and compassion. As per myth – spinning the wheel by onerevolution evokes 50 blessing.

Inside the prayer wheel there is a scroll with the same mantra repeated fifty times. The prayer wheels come in different sizes and types. Some are small, attached to stick andmade to spin by hand. Medium sizes are found at monasteries near the gate, devotees spin the wheel before passing gates. There are larger prayer wheels turned by flowingwater. The water touched by the wheel is believed to be sacred.

Many Buddhists believe that prayer wheel is “Wheel of Law” that has been set in motion by The Buddha.